Knitting machine



May 9, 1950 A. L. OBERHOLTZER KNITTING MACHINE 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1948 INVENTOR.

a E V m T M E 5 O Lv u/ m 5 L A w M d May 9, 1950 A. L. OBERHOLTZYER 2,506,968

KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALBERT L. OBERHOCLTZER ATTORNEYS May 9, 1950 A. L. OBERHOLTZER KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 28, 1948 was IN V EN TOR.

R a w m .0 L m E B L A ATTORNEYS latented May 9, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicli' KNITTING MACHINE Albert L. Oberholtzer, Laconia, N. H., assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 28, 1948, Serial No. 23,771

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to knitting machines and has particular reference to means for controlling heel and toe pockets in a machine having provision for wrapping.

In knitting machines in which wrapping occurs the wrapping operation is usually interrupted on needles which will knit the heel after the le is substantially completed and. a few courses before the beginning of knitting of the heel. The wrapping of instep needles is interrupted at the beginning of the heel and is then again resumed after the formation or" the heel, being again interrupted at the beginning of the knitting of the toe. Wrapping is then again resumed on needles of both the heel and instep group in the knitting of the leg of the next stocking of a continuous series. Since the wrap yarns are unbroken during the knitting of a string of stockings they will, in general, provide a cage of yarns extending past the knitted pockets in the stocking, holding the pockets outwardly toward the needles with the result that the pockets are likely to become entangled, particularly when the use of the wrap yarns is again resumed. The use of a central pocket take-up is accordingly not positive in insuring the proper disposition of the pockets inasmuch as it may miss the pocket entirely by reason of the cage of wrap yarns which hold the pocket out of its path.

As an example of the type of machine to which the invention is particularly applicable, there may be referred to the machine illustrated in the application of Paul W. Bristow, Serial No. 635,644, filed December 18, 1945. In this machine provision is made for wrapping throughout the circumference of a stocking and consequently the wrap yarns, particularly those wrapping therear of the stocking, are likely to prevent the proper positioning of the heel and toe pockets for engagement by the pocket take-up such as is described in said application.

In accordance with the present invention there are provided two means which cooperate to insure proper positioning of the heel and toe pockets. One of these involves the release of tension on the wrap yarns which extend past the pockets. The other involves provision for directing a blast of air at the pockets to force them inwardly for engagement by the pocket take-up.

The broad object of the present invention is the provision for insuring proper pocket control as heretofore indicated. Further objects of the invention particularly relating to details of con- Struction and operation will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing various elements of a knitting machine of the type disclosed in said Bristow application;

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing diagrammatically the arrangement of an air blast producing means with respect to the upper portion of a needle cylinder and particularly illustrating how the blast is arranged to deflect a heel pocket inwardly;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the controlling devices associated with the air blast producing means;

Figure 4 is an elevation partially in section showing in particular an air controlling valve and its connections;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the parts of the machine which control the wrap yarns; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing with greater clarity some of the elements of Figure 5.

There is illustrated in the drawings only such parts of a knitting machine as are required for an understanding of the present invention. The knitting machine disclosed is of the type illustrated in said Bristow application to which reference may be made for various details. This machine comprises needles 2 of the double hook type slidable in a lower cylinder 4 and an upper cylinder 6 to provide ribbed stockings. Extending downwardly through the upper cylinder 6 are wrap yarn carriers 8 provided with outwardly directed lower ends In through eyes in which there are threaded wrap yarns indicated at W. Extending downwardly through a tube 12 which supports arresting means for positioning the lower ends of the wrap yarn carriers there is a rod M which carries the pocket take-up l6 provided with a plurality of rounded pocket engaging fingers l8. At its upper end the rod M is provided with a collar 25 below which is a spring 22 serving as a, cushion for a. disc 26 which is engageable by a lever 26 for control of the pocket take-up. The lever 26 is controlled through a push rod 28, a lever 30, a push rod 32 and a lever 34 by cams 36 and 38 on the main cam drum to. All of the parts so far described will be found in said Bristow application, wherein various other associated parts are described in detail.

There is indicated at 42 a supporting disc which rotates with the needle cylinders and forms a part of the rotating assembly carrying and feeding the wrap yarns which are fed from bobbins 44. Each of the wrap yarns W passes upwardly from its bobbin 44 through an opening 46 in a laterally extending plate 48 passing therefrom below fingers 50 and 52 between which it passes through the hook 54 of a lever 56 pivotally mounted in a supporting bracket 58 on a pin 60. The lever 56 has an outwardly and upwardly extending arm 51 which, if the wrap yarn is exhausted or breaks, will move outwardly and downwardly due to centrifugal action to engage a conventional stop motion.

On the pin 60 is pivoted a take-up lever 62 which has a tail portion 64 engageable with the bracket 58 to limit its upward movement under the action of a take-up spring 66 which connects the take-up lever 52 with an upright pin El. The yarn passing inwardly from beneath the finger 52 passes below a wire ring 68, thence through the hook 16 of its take-up lever and downwardly to the lower end of its carrier.

Pivoted also on the pin 60 is a yarn clamping lever 12 which has a portion 14 arranged to clamp a yarn against the plate 48 over which it extends. The inwardly extending portion 01 the lever 12 carries a lateral pin 16 which projects beneath the take-up lever 62. A spring 13 acting between the pin it and a supporting post Gil tends to move the lever 12 in a direction to eifect clamping of the wrap yarn between its portion 14 and the plate 48.

Levers :2 such as described are associated with all of the Wrap yarns but in carrying out the objects of the invention it is only necessary that special control be applied to those levers which control the wrap yarns at the rear of the stocking, 1. e., those wrap yarns which will hold outwardly the heel and toe pockets. The levers which are associated with wrap yarns at the rear of the stocking are provided with tail portions 82 whereas those which control other wrap yarns in the stocking may have these tail portions omitted, terminating, for example, at the line indicated at 84 in Figure 6. The tail portions 82 are adapted to engage a cam 85 which, with its slopes 8S and 9D, is carried by a bracket 88 secured to a pin 92 which is vertically slidable in a portion of the machine frame. The bracket 88 is connected by a horizontal rod 9:! and a vertical rod 66 to an arm 98 which is carried by a vertically movable push rod I00 movable by cam action from the main cam drum of the machine, the push rod I08 being one of the usual series of such push rods.

An air supply hose I02 from a source of compressed air supplies air to a valve I64 which controls air flow through a pipe I06 to a second valve I08 which, in turn, controls the flow to 'a pipe I IU terminating in a fiat nozzle at I28 as illustrated in Figure 2. A cam following lever H2 is arranged to be acted upon by cams H3 on the main cam drum of the machine to exert a pull on a Bowden wire I I4 which rocks a lever HE; against the valve controlling stem H8 of the valve H38. Inward movement of the stem II8 opens the valve I08. The belt shipping lever I2!) is link connected to a bell crank I22 which, in turn, is connected through a link I24 to the stem I26 of the valve I 04. When the belt shipping lever is in such position as to stop the operation of the machine it effects closure of the valve I04 so that air can pass to the valve I08 only when the machine is operating.

The machine operates in the usual fashion, wrapping taking place during the formation of the leg of the stocking. Under these conditions eachof the wrap yarns is clamped on its plate 48 by the portion 14 of its lever 12 except when the yarn is used whereupon by pulling downwardly on the take-up lever 62 pin 16 is engaged by the latter rocking the lever i2 and thus effecting release of the yarn so that it may be drawn from its supply. The result is that the wrap yarn is clamped except when subject to a particular tension which will cause the take-up lever to engage the pin 15.

Usually wrapping at the rear of a stocking will be terminated a slight distance above the heel, namely at the time of starting the knitting of the high heel. At this time the main cam drum lifts the cam 85 into position to engage the tails 82 of those levers which are associated with yarns at the rear of the stocking. This rise of the cam 85 may be effected, for example, through the knitting of about three courses during the occurrence of the transfer of needles from the upper to the lower cylinder at the rear of the stocking which may terminate the formation of ribs in the rear of the leg. Of course, this action need not be necessarily associated with this needle transfer operation. In any event, when the cam 85 is raised the levers '52 are lifted so that the wrap yarns may pass freely to their take-up levers with the result that all of the take-up levers at the rear of the stocking will rise to their uppermost portions limited by their tail portions 64. The result is to supply at this time a considerable amount of extra yarn beyond the clamping portion 14 of each raised lever to provide a slack condition which will not prevent the heel from moving inwardly to a position for engagement by the pocket take-up. The tensions imposed on the levers 62 by their springs 88 will then be quite light. The wrap yarns feeding to the instep needles are not disturbed at this time.

The knitting of the heel then proceeds in conventional fashion. As the heel pocket is finished a cam H3 on the main cam dr'uin effects a pull on the Bowden wire H4 to open the valve I08 so that a blast of air issues from the nozzle I28 to force the heel pocket inwardly, the wrap yarns extending downwardly at the back of the stock'- ing being now relieved of tension so that they may be readily driven inwardly and hence do not impede this movement of the heel pocket. Desirably, the valve IE8 is opened just as the center of the group of instep needles reaches the nozzle during the change from reciprocating to round-and-round knitting. The air blast may be maintained for about one and a quarter revolutions of the cylinder and is then terminated by the passage of the cam II3 from beneath lever H2. The heel and toe take-up members I6 drop as the center of the heel reaches the air nozzle as the machine passes from reciprocating to round-and-round knitting. Proper engagement of the heel pocket by the take-up is thus insured.

When instep rib needles aretransferred to the lower cylinder for knitting of th ring toe, or at some other time preceding the beginning of the toe, the cam 85 is again raised to provide slack in the wrap yarns associated with the sole needles. In passing from reciprocating to roundand-round knitting following the toe the air blast is again turned on by a second cam operating on the lever II2 so as to locate the toe pocket in inner position to be engaged by the take-up I 6.

It will be evident from the above that the heel and toe pockets are relieved of the tensions of the wrap yarns at the rear of the stockings so that there is substantiall nothing to .prevent their extending inwardly for engagement by the take-up. The use of the air blast insures that at least some needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinder, the last mentioned means being ineffective to relieve the tension on wrap yarns fed to other needles in the needle circle.

2. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinder, and means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to at least some needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, the last mentioned means being ineiiective to relieve the tension on wrap yarns fed to other needles in the needle circle.

3. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinder, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly.

4. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarnsto the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinder, means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly.

5. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said Wrap yarns, and means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinder, each of said means for individually tensioning a wrap yarn comprising a clamp for a wrap yarn and a spring controlled take-up lever engaging the yarn between the clamp and the presenting means for the wrap yarn, said take-up lever and clamp being constructed and arranged so that the take-up lever normally 'releases'said clamp only when it 06-- cupies a position imposing a predetermined tension on the yarn, and said tension relieving means comprising an element for independently releasing the clamp so that the take-up lever may move to a position in which it exerts substantially less than said predetermined tension on the yarn.

6. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinder, and means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, each of said means for individually tensioning a wrap yarn comprising a clamp for a wrap yarn and a spring controlled take-up lever engaging the yarn between the clamp and the presenting means for the wrap yarn, said take-up lever and clamp being constructed and arranged so that the takeup lever normally releases said clamp only when it occupies a position imposing a predetermined tension on the yarn, and said tension relieving means comprising an element for independently releasing the clamp so that the take-up lever may move to a position in which it exerts substantially less than said predetermined tension on the yarn.

'7. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinder, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly, each of said means for individuall tensioning a wrap yarn comprising a clamp for a wrap yarn and a spring controlled take-up lever engaging the yarn between the clamp and the presenting means for the wrap yarn, said take-up lever and clamp being constructed and arranged so that the take-up lever normally releases said clamp only when it occupies a position imposing a predetermined tension on the yarn, and said tension relieving means comprising an element for independently releasing the clamp so that the take-up lever may move to a position in which it exerts substantially less than said predetermined tension on the yarn.

8. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinder, means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly, each of said means for individually tensioning a wrap yarn comprising a clamp for a wrap yarn and a spring controlled take-up lever engaging the yarn between the clamp and the presenting means for the wrap yarn, said take-up lever and clamp being constructed and arranged so that the take-up lever normally releases said clamp only when it occupies a position imposing a predetermined tension on the yarn, and said tension relieving means comprising an element for independently releasing the clamp so that the take-up lever may move to a, position in which it exerts substantially less than said predetermined tension on the yarn.

9. A knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, and means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to at least some needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinders, the last mentioned means being ineffective to relieve th tension on wrap yarns fed to other needles in the needle circle.

10. A knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinders, and means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to at least some needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, the last mentioned means being ineffective to relieve the tension on wrap yarns fed to other needles in the needle circle.

11. A knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns,

means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of a pocket are produced during the knitting of a stocking to prevent interference by said yarns with the location of such pocket inwardly towards the axis of the needle cylinders, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly.

12. A knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, needles carried thereby, means for presenting wrap yarns to the needles, means for individually tensioning said wrap yarns,

means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinders, means for relieving the tension of the wrap yarns fed to needles on which stitches of such pocket are produced to prevent interference b said yarns with the location of such pocket in position to be engaged by said engaging means, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly.

13. A knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder, needles carried thereby, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinder, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly into position for engagement by the first mentioned means.

14. A knitting machine comprising superposed needle cylinders, needles carried thereby, means for engaging a pocket formed in a stocking to move it axially of said needle cylinders, and means providing an air blast for moving such pocket inwardly into position for engagement by the first mentioned means.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,091,407 Lawson Aug. 31, 1937 2,275,276 Williams Mar. 3, 1942 2,396,656 Holmes Mar. 19, 1946 2,400,741 Christensen et al. May 21, 1946 2,424,033 Hilker et al July 15, 1947 2,438,697 Fregeolle Mar. 30, 1948 2,442,411 Holmes June 1, 1948 

